Deer Seeing & Spooking from YOUR Trail Cameras? TRY THIS!

If Deer are consistently looking at your cameras, there’s something wrong. If deer are avoiding your cameras there’s something wrong. Could be the camera. Could be the set. Could be you. Eliminate the variables and have more success.
Since 2015, we have been running a lot of cameras. Arguably more trail cameras than anyone in the world outside of academia studies. With hunting in mind, we’ve seen a ton of data points on how deer react to cameras. Our goal is always to capture the most accurate data as possible, we want data on natural deer movement so we can then strategically plan our hunts. We don’t want deer staring at our cameras, we don’t want deer avoiding our cameras, we don’t want any negative influence on natural deer movement. So over the years we refined our placement strategies and came up with a spook proof equation that we follow when we can…keep in mind at the end of the day, the camera has to be in front of deer.
Spook proof equation:
- Hang cameras out of the line of sight 6’-8’ feet. We like this height because it doesn’t hinder the camera's detection ability. Once you get over 10’ and are forced to angle the camera downward you are creating a static environment and limiting the area that the camera is actually monitoring.
- Hang cameras on multi trunk trees or trees with a trunk diameter larger than the camera width. Multi trunk trees offer an additional visual blocker that helps eliminate any side profile. The bottom line here is take the added time to make your camera less noticeable much like the approach to hang a tree stand
- Ditch the strap. For the last several years we hang most of our cameras with paracord or some type of mount. Again, this aids in the efforts to make your cameras less noticeable for both animals and humans. On this same point, make the set neat. Take the time to tie up loose ends so you don’t have feet of extra cord blowing in the wind.
- Cell cameras are much more popular these days, with that most guys are running external power with their cell cameras. If you are using any type of external power source, hang it on a different plane of the tree and elevate it higher than the camera. We typically run our solar panels 180 degrees from the camera and a few feet higher
- Distance from your target area. This is one thing we see a lot of people make mistakes on..Everyone wants to put their cameras in the face of deer. Everyone is worried about a cool photo or video. Folks, this is a mistake. We run these devices to help us fill tags…putting cameras in the face of deer and having a negative impact on natural deer movement is not going to help you fill tags. Anywhere we can we place our cameras 20-25’ from the target area. This seems to be the sweet spot where the camera will deliver quality images but also go unnoticed.
Discover our Trail Cameras backed by our 5 YEAR WARRANTY & THEFT PROTECTION:
The Exodus Render - bit.ly/exodusrender
The Exodus Lift II - bit.ly/2JWbXqz
The Exodus Trek - bit.ly/exodustrek
Connect with Exodus Trail Cameras:
TRAIL CAM RADIO PODCAST: apple.co/342OoD1
WEBSITE: www.exodusoutdoorgear.com/
Exodus Social Media:
FACEBOOK: bit.ly/34joFYB
TWITTER: / exodustrailcams
INSTAGRAM: bit.ly/2Tgz7dh
Camera Gear for Whitetail Cribs:
Camera: amzn.to/3vJNY0S
Preferred Lens: amzn.to/33h0ngJ
Mics: amzn.to/2QUisP7
Gimbal: amzn.to/3eiYXbO
Some of our favorite gear:
The Exodus Render: amzn.to/2SvefBV
SD CARD: amzn.to/3h1Fiiv

[@Lmr6973]

While I've hunted small game for over 40 years never cared much for deer hunting. I got invited to go hunt in Missouri back in November and I can get enough. So much to learn and information like this is just what I need. I know this year I'm not prepared but next year I plan to be ready. Thanks for the great information it's good enough to subscribe to your channel.

[@josephtreadlightly5686]

I'm hunting public land in Central MN. Most people would not be putting high quality Browning cameras out in these type of areas. My process is that I hunt from a 🌳. I climb the 🌳 with a climbing rope. Every setup I have starts with a preset paracord. I have 1 area that I will not hunt anymore. I'm going out to this spot in February to pull down my preset paracords. The late winter of 2020 I setup many presets over a large area. That spring people new to the area started using this area as a dog park right when Covid was hitting hard. The land I hunted 20 to 30 years ago has been developed & I only have 1 place close to home where I can hunt & my neighbors 😐. I went to a larger area farther from 🏡 & I started getting many short videos of deer under 10 yards. I use the paracord system & I have old rag wool mittens that I put between the camera & 🌳 to get the right angle. The rag wool keeps the 🥶 of the 🌳 away from the camera & insulates the camera. I use a truckers hitch setup with the paracord which hides it very well. Never use a strap. The cameras r up in the 🌳 @ about 15 feet. These r 🌳 that I hunt & when I climb them I simply remove the SD card in the camera & put a fresh card in. As long as I attach my preset paracord that I use to hook my climbing rope to above the ground & tight it is as invisible as the camera up higher. Because the cameras r set in short video mode they r dual purpose & offer a different angle of video on a hunt. Only problem is if u go too high branches up high can ruin your video or the snow on the ground makes it hard to see antlers especially if the 🦌 is too close. I don't hunt each spot very often but last fall gun season guys took away the early rut from me b4 their season opened but wandering where I never go. I was however able to get many short videos up close & learned alot of Intel. I now know where I need to sit early in the season in mid September. Also found 1 antler in a spot of the buck I targeted. The week b4 gun season an idiot with a headlamp after dark walked into a doe bedding area that buck was just starting to move into @ dusk & dawn. The 2nd spot I setup for him was ruined about 10 days later by a BEAR that walked right into his bedding area. The 🦌 15 minutes later was rubbing his antlers & turned south when he picked up the spot the bear crossed. Some other fool hunting with a rifle in a shotgun only zone fired 2 shots & missed him. I was able to get video of him early December @ 20 feet & he's wider than I thought he was. The paracord system up higher does work & I'm glad u made this video for people that r facing the same situation as me. Take care.

[@jake-hofer]

Great info! Taking the time to really think about the camera set will definitely help with getting more quality and pure data.

[@joelaubrey1818]

I used to use paracord. But I've had squirrels chew my paracord 3 times and my cameras were on the ground. I've found that Brown Bailing wire or trapping wire works way better!

[@chadsylvester8336]

Great tip! Thanks for watching

[@joelaubrey1818]

@@chadsylvester8336 love your content.

[@MrJimbo1212]

Great info once again Chad....to your point, I have had very minimal spooking with the "above eye level approach" but not too high... Also, I have had far greater luck immersing my cameras in a tight multi tree grouping with staggered depths (even if they are less width than the camera)..over and above the one tree set even if its wider than the camera...

[@roberttaylor8261]

The new mount that consists of a tree step style mount screws into tree an has a 1/4” bolt on a ball swivel an a set screw to lock it at an angle realy work nice! I try to put about 15’ away in a cluster of trees an have had No deer spook from them! I use Reveal X Pro it’s black flash!

[@jerryweatherman7468]

Paracord should be cheaper to ad to a camera package than adding a strap with a cinch lock. As cheap as it is..... maybe y'all could offer both in your camera packages.

[@willardhaseley1260]

And where does it say a strap needs to be solid black a dappled effect of grays browns and black would be much harder to spot wouldn't it that goes for ladder stands and hang on stands too

[@russelllangworthy8855]

You're right about the straps on ladder stands and hang-on stands. If the straps weren't black and were more camouflaged, nobody would ever see the ladder or the stand, because after all, they're invisible, right?

[@willardhaseley1260]

@@russelllangworthy8855 usually camouflage stands with paint and the only thing that stands out like a flag is the black strap

[@russelllangworthy8855]

@@willardhaseley1260 Ok. Your eyesight must be different than mine. I can see treestands and ladder stands from hundreds of yards away, regardless whether they're camo or not.

[@roberttaylor8261]

Buy a Blackout camera! The infrared glow spooks Deer an Bear from my Experience. Another mt to consider is a step with threads screw into bottom of cam. Or a Genious mt like Cuddeback has.

[@josephstollsteimer1556]

Very informative video thanks 😊

[@chadsylvester8336]

Thanks for watching

[@PT-yk4nt]

Great tips Chad! Have you guys considered including para cord with your cameras packaging?

[@chadsyl23]

We’ve been looking for a good locking mechanism to make that happen. We’ve sampled everything we can find, unfortunately nothing has been strong enough to hold the weight of a camera. We don’t want folks having to tie knots other wise we would have already made the switch. We plan to keep looking for the right piece of paracord hardware to make it happen.

[@peters3286]

Out of this worl🌍!!! Do not waste another day - Promo-SM!!!